Cuba has been rocked by a massive and complete nationwide blackout, leaving its entire population of 11 million people without power and sparking angry protests on the streets.
The electricity grid suffered a catastrophic failure in the early hours of Wednesday, 10th September, with officials from the state-owned Union Electrica (UNE) citing a "technical fault" at the Antonio Guiteras thermoelectric plant—the country's largest. The failure caused a devastating domino effect, collapsing the entire national system.
This is not an isolated incident but a symptom of a deep and protracted energy crisis. Cuba's power infrastructure is notoriously aged and prone to failure, with regular blackouts plaguing daily life for years. However, the scale of this total collapse is unprecedented, marking one of the most severe outages in decades.
A Nation Brought to a Halt
The consequences were immediate and severe. Havana and other major cities were plunged into darkness, with reports of:
- Hospitals switching to emergency generators to maintain critical care.
- Communications networks failing, severing contact for many.
- Water supplies cut off as pumping stations lost power.
- Public transport systems grinding to a halt.
By Wednesday evening, power had only been partially restored to slightly over half of the country, leaving millions to endure a second night without electricity.
Public Anger Boils Over
Frustration at the prolonged energy shortages spilled onto the streets. Social media footage, despite internet disruptions, showed residents in parts of Havana banging pots and pans—a traditional form of protest—and chanting anti-government slogans.
These scenes are a stark reminder of the widespread social unrest that erupted in July 2021, which was also fueled by economic hardship and power cuts. The government has acknowledged the public's frustration but appealed for calm, promising a full investigation into the cause of the blackout.
This total grid failure exposes the profound challenges facing Cuba's economy and its decaying infrastructure, underscoring the urgent need for modernisation and investment in its energy sector.
